Rhythmic Hearts
by Naivette
Summary: SK; — Feel the rhythm of the music, feel the beat of my heart. Three-shot
1. Part I: Initiation

_Rhythmic Hearts_

**~Feel the rhythm of the music, feel the beat of my heart~**

.:_Kai_**ora**:.

* * *

_Part I: Initiation_

He didn't know how long it had been, but it sure was a long damn time. He'd gotten there at half past nine that morning, and he'd been waiting for what felt like an eternity. His cobalt blue eyes scanned the hall, about thirty more people wishing to get the same opportunity he was. The seats were taken, so he was stuck leaning against the wall, one leg propped up behind him, his arms crossed. What could he do? He was too much of a gentleman to order someone out of their seat, no matter how long he had been standing there or how sore his feet were getting at this point. He needed them for the audition, and he prayed to the Gods that he wouldn't fumble when his time came.

Letting out a bored sigh, the young man reached into the pocket of his dirty denim shorts, the fabric brushing just below his knee as he felt around for his phone. His calloused fingers skimmed over the thalassa shell charm he kept with him at all times, believing it brought him luck. And it had, ever since he was fourteen, when he had tried out for another dance audition and got the part. He could only hope it would bring the same fate.

Finally finding his cell phone, he pulled it out, flipping it open to check the time. 1:04?! That was it?! It felt like so much longer to him, most likely because he was so pumped up for the audition. But who wouldn't be? Actually getting chosen for this would be big. Like, _big_-big. If he got this, he could actually make a better name for himself, have more gigs.

He lowered his head, his eyes focusing on his red and dark grey Garmont's as he ran a hand through his unruly brown hair. A quiet breath escaped his lips.

"Been waiting long?"

His head jerking up, his eyes met a matching startling blue. Blonde bangs barely interfered with the person's vision, though they ignored it. "Uh…yeah," he managed to speak.

The blonde leaned against the wall beside him. "Same." His eyes focused on the brunet to his right, a small smile forming on his lips. "Roxas," he introduced, holding out a hand. "And you are?"

"Uh, Sora," he replied, taking the hand held out to him with a firm grip. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Roxas let his eyes wander around the room, another person entering through the door that would decide their fates. "So, I'm guessing you're here for the audition?"

"Yeah," Sora confirmed with a nod. "Been here since nine this morning. Can't say I'm not getting anxious; I'd be bluffing."

"Ah, I got here a little after you did then," Roxas said, scratching his cheek. "It's been hours, though. I wonder how the judges sit there for that long?"

Sora shrugged. "It's better than standing, I'm sure."

There was a silence for a few moments, and Sora couldn't help but stare blankly at the white wall ahead of him. How much longer was this going to take? He wanted to get in there and finally show what he could do; he had been waiting for a chance like this since he even started the dance classes he took when he was ten. Ever since then the excitement for something of the sort had been building. And now that it was here, well, Sora had the temptation to jump up and down like a little kid tugging at his mother's sleeve when he saw a candy shop.

A feeling suddenly coursed through him, but it wasn't caused by his nerves or his thoughts. Glancing sidelong he could see Roxas staring at him. Turning his head completely, he furrowed his brows, head tilting to the side. "What?"

Roxas had a hand at his chin, a pensive expression written on his features. "Have I seen you somewhere?"

Sora's lips parted in confusion as he lifted a brow. "Eh?"

"Oh, I know!" Roxas exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "You were a backup dancer for the band _D-Mix_, weren't you? Yeah, yeah! You danced for them last summer when they toured here in Twilight Town, didn't you?"

The perplexed look that was etched on Sora's face quickly disappeared as he smiled, nodding. "Yep, that was me."

"Dude!" Roxas was grinning ear to ear. Sora could only guess that it was out of surprise. "That performance you guys did for 'The Beat' was awesome! What was it like to actually be able to work with them?"

Sora was quite amused and also confused at how thunderstruck this kid was being. Didn't he get offers like that too? "Um…it was a once in a lifetime opportunity at best, I guess," he answered, scratching the back of his head. "What, haven't you done anything like that before?"

Roxas shrugged, his hype slowly decreasing. "Nah, not as big as _D-Mix_. I danced backup for a pop group before, but that was it."

"Which one was it?"

"_The Thirteenth Order_," the blonde said with a nod.

"That doesn't sound very 'poppy' to me," Sora admitted. Roxas only chuckled.

"You'd be surprised. There was this one guy with pink hair—the bassist—and he was one of the weirdest people I've ever met at a gig." He crossed his arms as he focused on the floor for a second. "Some obsession with flower petals or something."

Sora stifled a laugh. "What?"

Roxas merely shrugged. "Beats me. But hey, it got me a recommendation here, so it works."

"Wait a second," Sora blurted, waving his hands back and forth to stop the blonde from talking. "You were _recommended_?" Roxas nodded with a small smile. "Lucky!"

His laugh chimed through the hallway. "It shouldn't be that surprising. Some of the people here are probably recommended by their creative arts school, or at least an agent." There was a short silence, and Roxas blinked. "Wait… Nobody put in a good word for you?"

Sora shook his head, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall. "Nah. I'm here on my own. Always have been."

"And you still don't have an agency, even after performing backup for _D-Mix_?"

"Nope."

"Wow, I'm surprised. You were awesome in that, man!" Roxas commented, earning a cheesy grin from Sora. "Anyway, I'm sure you'll do fine here. This audition shouldn't be too harsh."

"Aren't we auditioning for a position for some cover band or something?" Sora asked, head tilting again.

"I think so," Roxas said. "The girl singing, though, is supposed to be pretty popular."

"Huh?!" Sora cried, pushing himself off the wall. "A…_girl_?! That's it?!"

"You didn't know?" Roxas questioned, one of his blonde eyebrows arching. Sora shook his head, his eyes wide. "Huh…"

"All of these people are auditioning for a position to dance backup for one chick?" Sora asked in a quieter tone, considering a woman was calling the next person up. "I only heard it was for a cover _band_, not a cover _artist_."

Roxas smirked. "Your sources must be weak. This girl means business; she really wants to reach stardom." He leaned in slightly, speaking in a softer tone. "Plus, I heard she was hot."

This news caused Sora to blush. For what reason, he wasn't sure why. But he ducked his head to try and hide it from Roxas. "Heh. Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough, right?"

"Yeah."

"Sora Carter?"

Sora jerked his head in the direction the voice came from, and his eyes met the hazel irises of the woman with a clipboard in her hand. "Yes?" he asked politely.

"You're up," she said with a small smile. Sora nodded before grabbing the red and black duffel bag sitting next to him on the floor. After pulling it over his shoulder, his sight locked on to a fist held out in front of him. Looking up, his eyes settled on Roxas.

"Good luck, man," the blonde told him with a warm smile. Sora grinned and knocked his tan knuckles against Roxas's.

"Thanks. You too." And with that, he turned, approaching the woman at the door before being led into the room.

-

**S**

**-**

"So how do you think you did?"

Sora glanced over at the blonde walking next to him before focusing his eyes on the sidewalk ahead of him again. He stuffed his hands in his shorts pockets, shrugging. "I'm not one to be cocky, so I guess I did alright."

"Sora, you were smiling when you came out," Roxas stated. "Apparently you must have done better than that."

Sora smiled sheepishly but agreed. "Yeah, maybe." Roxas laughed softly before they both walked into a burger place, sitting down at a booth. Since Sora moved to Twilight Town a year ago, he hadn't really met anyone; he was either dancing or working to pay rent. Either way, he never actually became friends with someone that could handle the same schedule. Luckily for him, he met Roxas, who he became friends with already. The way they teased each other and were so laid back around the other, people would think they had been friends for years.

So here they were, at a burger joint to fill their empty stomachs after not eating for the last six hours. After ordering, a comfortable silence hung between the two.

Sora couldn't help but play the scene back again in his mind. As soon as he walked through that door he was greeted by three judges, all of them appearing pleasant after sitting in the same changes for the last six hours. They asked him some questions—why he felt he would be good for a part, what previous experiences he had, etc.—before letting him freestyle to a mix they had already in the stereo. After about a minute of showing them what he had in him, Sora stopped and noticed the small smiles of approval they had etched on their faces, which drew one from him in return. He was told that the results would be shown tomorrow morning around noon as to who actually made it, and after leaving that room, he couldn't help but get this warm sensation in his heart that he would be one of them.

Taking a sip of his Cherry Coke, Sora snapped out of his reverie. As much as he felt that he got a position, he couldn't be sure. Being overly self-confident about these things was never his thing. He'd run into someone that was before, though. _Seifer_, Sora mentally grumbled, just the thought of the blonde making Sora clench his fists. He was an unsurprisingly _wonderful_ example of jerks when it came to dance auditions; and not leotard-tutu types of dancing, but hip hop, something Sora was highly skilled in.

_He always thought he was better than everyone else. I bet it was because of that "oh-so-glorious" cape of his he always wore. Yeah right,_ Sora thought, his jaw clenching. Whatever. That was a year ago, and now that Blondie was out of town, moving because he was "too good for amateurs", Sora didn't have to worry about him anymore.

With a sigh, Sora rubbed the back of his head, his eyes subconsciously landing on Roxas, who seemed to be daydreaming. Sora bit back a laugh at the look on the blonde's face. "Uh…Roxas?" he asked, his voice strained, fighting the laughter that wanted to desperately erupt from his insides.

But the blonde only let a corner of his lips turn up into a half-smile, which caused Sora to bring a hand to his mouth. This was just too damn funny! What the hell was happening to his new pal?

"Roxas," he said again.

No answer.

Sora whistled, trying to gain his attention. "Yoo-hoo? Roxas?" he called, waving a hand in front of the boy's cerulean eyes.

Still nothing.

Sora rolled his eyes. He knew he couldn't yell at him since they were in a public diner, unfortunately for him; he really wanted to do it. Instead, he decided on simply snapping his fingers a couple times in front of Roxas's face. After the third snap, blonde hair finally shook.

"Huh?" Roxas uttered. Sora only smirked.

"Zoning out on me, Roxas?"

"Uh…n-no." Sora raised an eyebrow, smirk growing. Oooh. What do we have here? _Stuttering_?

Sora crossed his arms. "Who is she?" he asked in a knowing tone.

"What do you mean? Who is who?"

Sora could only stare with fixed eyes as the blonde messed with his straw; he wasn't a fool. The brunet knew all about this sort of behavior; his friend Wakka did it when they were in high school, back at Destiny Islands. "The chick," he said matter-of-factly. "What's her name?"

"…Nobody."

Sora sighed impatiently. "Ugh! Out with it, Roxas! You're practically blushing!" And, as Sora expected, Roxas brought his hands to his face, attempting to hide the redness spreading over his cheeks.

_Too late, buddy_.

"Roxas…"

Roxas dropped his hands to the table, giving up. "Alright, fine. Her name's Naminé," he answered, his blue orbs glancing up at Sora after he spoke before darting back to the table.

Sora smirked, bringing a hand to his chin. "Naminé, huh?"

Roxas nodded. "Yeah. She's…beautiful—long blonde hair, amazing blue eyes, great figure… It doesn't surprise me that she's a dancer."

"She sounds nice," Sora commented, folding his arms on the table.

"She is." Roxas's lips slowly formed a smile. "She's great…"

"From what you know, right? You can't possibly know everything about her." Sora took a sip of his drink, its cherry flavor flowing down his throat.

"Yeah, of course," Roxas agreed almost immediately. "But, still…she made a _very good_ first impression."

"How'd you meet her?"

"Actually…" Roxas smiled sheepishly, raking his fingers through his blonde spikes. "We ran into each other when I was on my way out. I mean, we literally collided with one another. It wasn't the best way of meeting someone, but it did the job."

"I see," Sora said with a nod. "Think she'll make the show?"

Roxas shrugged. "Quite possibly. I didn't see her in action, of course, but she carried herself pretty well. It looked like she was pretty prepared to me."

"Mm," Sora murmured.

"Did you see anybody that caught _your_ eye?" Roxas asked with a suggestively raised eyebrow.

Sora gave him a look. "_No_. I'm here for the sole purpose of getting the part, not a girl." Just then the waiter came back with their orders, setting down the two plates of cheeseburgers and fries in front of the boys. As soon as the man left, Sora continued. "I'm just trying to focus on my future. I've been working for this since I was ten years-old."

"So, what's that been? Nine years?" Roxas asked as he dipped a French fry in some ketchup.

"Yup. How about you?" Sora bit into his burger.

"I started dancing when I was twelve, so around seven years." The blonde chewed his food before swallowing. "I'm on the same level as you: focusing on my dance career, and not really caring about anything else."

"Except for Naminé," Sora chimed in with a smirk. He eyed Roxas with narrowed eyes.

"N-No!" Roxas cried.

"Yes."

"No."

"I think so."

"I think not."

"Come _on_, Roxas!"

"Grow _up_, Sora!" the blonde retorted.

Sora stuck out his tongue before focusing on his food. "You know you like her," he mumbled.

"What was that?" Roxas asked, his tone defensive.

"Nothing!"

-

**S**

**-**

"Come on. C'mon… Sora Carter," he mumbled quietly, finger running down the list of names. He was one of the last to check to see if his name was on the list. He knew better than to run up right when it was posted; he'd learned that in his younger years—it saved a lot of pain. Especially physically. Sora's eyes widened when he stopped, seeing his name printed on the white sheet of paper. "Alright!" he cheered, throwing a fist in the air.

"Congrats, dude," Roxas spoke, leaning back against the opposite wall as he watched his friend celebrate.

"Thanks!" Sora cried, still stuck in his hype. He glanced over his shoulder at Roxas before turning back around, checking for his friend's name. "Hey! You made it too, man!"

Roxas laughed. "Awesome!"

"Yeah!" Sora cheered, slapping hands with Roxas, a loud smack reverberating through the nearly empty hall. The two grinned at each other, each of their smiles cheeky and from ear to ear.

"Congratulations, Roxas."

The boy started, whipping his head to his right. Sora copied the movement, his blue eyes falling on flaxen hair, a purse slung over the girl's shoulder. A soft smile was pasted against her lips, her light blue eyes gazing up at the blonde boy that stood a few inches taller than her.

"Oh! Uh…thanks, Naminé," Roxas said, nervously rubbing the back of his head. "You make it too?"

The girl nodded slightly. "Yes. It looks like we'll be working together soon." As Roxas blushed a crimson red, she turned her attention to the brunet standing beside him. "Congrats are in order for you too…" she said, fading off.

"Sora," he said with a nod.

"Well, congratulations, Sora. I'm Naminé," she greeted softly, holding out a small hand. Sora took it, a small smile on his face.

"You too. Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure," she said, her soft smile widening ever so slightly. She let go of his hand, bringing it up to hold the strap of her purse. She looked from one boy to the other (still completely oblivious to Roxas's red face, Sora noticed). "I'm looking forward to working with both of you. I'm sure Kairi will as well."

"Kairi?" Sora repeated, tilting his head.

"Yes," Naminé confirmed with a nod. "She'll be partners with one of you, I'm sure."

"Oh."

Naminé smiled at both of them. "See you two on Saturday?" They both nodded in agreement and her smile grew slightly. "Great. Pleased to meet you, Sora."

"Likewise," he said with a polite smile.

The girl turned to Roxas, and Sora could detect the smallest bit of shyness on her features. "Nice talking to you again, Roxas."

"Y-yeah. You too, Naminé." Roxas smiled slightly, and Naminé's cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink. "See you around?"

Naminé nodded with a timid smile before turning and walking away, leaving silence to surround the two boys. Roxas waited until she left through the door to release the air held in his lungs.

Sora looked at him. "That was her?" he asked, bewildered.

"Uh-huh."

"Whoa, you weren't lying," he admitted. "Wha–? OW!"

Roxas glared at him, his hand still in a fist. "Don't even think about it." As he started toward the door, Sora gritted his teeth. A low growl came from between his teeth, the boy rubbing his shoulder as he followed.

-

**S**

**-**

The next three days went by quickly for Sora, and Saturday morning he found himself walking back to the building where he had auditioned earlier that week. Duffle bag occasionally hitting his leg as he traveled through the white halls, Sora ran a hand through his brown spikes. He was actually quite nervous, even though he wasn't exactly sure as to why he was. He told himself that he was just confusing his excitement with nerves over the fact that he that he had yet another gig…and the fact, of course, that he was actually going to get enough money to pay for two months of rent.

He came to a halt when he spotted the door with a sign saying, "Cover Performance: Practice Room". Well, that was as obvious as it was going to get. Sora grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open. Once he stepped in, he noticed eight other dancers scattered in the room. Some were gathered by the mirror—girls, of course—checking their hair. Others were chatting or stretching on the light wood floor.

Sora readjusted the strap on his duffel bag and walked along the wall on his left, setting his bag down on the floor, out of the way. He squatted down next to his bag, unzipping it before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. Checking the time, he noted that he was five minutes early and then turned off his cell.

"Hey, Sora!" someone greeted.

Said boy turned his head, his blue eyes finding a blonde waving at him from the middle of the large room. Sora flashed a grin his way, watching Roxas as he approached before tossing his phone into his bag. Zipping it back up, he stood, turning to see that Roxas had already reached him.

"'Sup, man?" Sora greeted, knocking knuckles with the blonde once again.

"Nothing, actually. Just waiting for her to get here."

"Naminé?" Sora asked.

Roxas shook his head. "No, she's already here." He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, causing Sora's eyes to look in that direction. And there was the blonde beauty, talking with a raven-haired girl and another brunette as she stretched. "I was actually talking about the artist who's supposed to be covering the song we have to dance to."

"Who is she?" Sora asked, his gaze fixed on Roxas again. However, the question went unanswered, for one of the girls squealed just as he asked. Sora peered around Roxas as said blonde turned around halfway to see what the ruckus was about. A girl about their age scowled and stomped her feet, her flipped out brown hair bouncing with the movement. She marched over to a boy who was chuckling beside a platinum-haired guy, whacking him on the side of his head of sandy-blonde spikes.

"Ow!" he cried, immediately bringing a hand over his new bruise.

"Don't ever do that again, Tidus!" the girl wailed, stabbing a finger at him. Roxas winced before turning his head back to Sora, who grimaced.

"That's Selphie. Don't ever get on her bad side; she'll haunt you, man." He glanced over his shoulder to make sure she wasn't listening before turning back to a chortling Sora. "Anyway, we already have our partners. Unfortunately Tidus is paired up with Selphie…"

"And let me guess," Sora said with a smirk. "You're paired with Naminé."

Roxas rubbed the back of his neck and smiled. "Yeah…"

Sora nodded, his eyes scanning the other couples. He blinked once he noticed something was a little off. "Uh, Roxas?" The blonde tore his eyes away from Naminé to look at his friend. "There are an odd number of people in here. Somebody doesn't have a partner."

"Oh, I know. One of the guys is paired with the artist," Roxas said, and Sora could have sworn there was a certain tone to his voice. It made him feel off.

"…Okay."

As if on cue, a woman with long brown hair walked into the room, wearing sweats and a tank. "Hey, everyone. Thanks for coming. My name's Tifa and I'll be your choreographer for the show." There was a blend of "hello's" and "nice to meet you's" throughout the room. Tifa smiled. "We're going to get started right away here, so I need you to pair up." She looked down at the clipboard in her grasp. "Here are your partners: Selphie with Tidus, Yuffie with Leon, Xion with Riku, Naminé with Roxas, and Sora with Kairi."

Everyone joined in the center of the room, lining up with their partners. But Sora could only look around, bemused. Was it just him or was something missing?

"Uh, excuse me," he called. The choreographer looked up, dark eyes meeting his blue.

"Yes?"

"Err…my partner doesn't seem to be here," he said, scratching the back of his head nervously. Tifa only smiled, tucking her brown hair behind her ear.

"Don't worry. I'm sure she'll arri—" The sound of a door opening cut her off, and everyone glanced in that direction. Sora's eyes suddenly locked on a girl stepping through the door, sunglasses covering her eyes and a large Gucci Sukey tote bag hanging on her arm. Aside from the accessories, she was dressed in white knee high sweatpants with pink designs on the sides and a black tank top, light blue Nikes on her feet. Tifa smiled. "Ah, Kairi. There you are!"

Kairi smiled sheepishly as she took off her sunglasses, revealing chicory eyes that nearly stopped Sora's heart. "Sorry I'm late," she apologized, tucking some of her ruby hair behind her ear.

"Don't sweat it. We were just getting started," Tifa explained as Kairi set down her—_very_ expensive, Sora noted—tote beside the door. Once she stood upright again, Tifa continued. "Go ahead and stand beside Sora and we'll get started." Kairi looked along the line, obviously trying to spot just who he was. Sora raised a hand in the air, signifying that it was him she was supposed to be next to. She walked over, stopping beside him.

Sora turned his head in her direction, taking notice of how she was a few inches shorter than him. At that same moment, her periwinkle eyes locked with his cobalt blue, causing Sora to freeze. "…Hi," he greeted quietly, smiling warmly.

"Hi," she replied, a small smile gracing her lips. She then turned her attention back to Tifa, and Sora followed suit.

"Alright, now that everyone's here, we're going to go ahead and set you guys up in formation." She pointed to Yuffie and Leon, telling them to go stand in the back, ordering the same of Selphie and Tidus. She then demanded that Riku and Xion stand slightly ahead and to the side of Selphie and Tidus, directing similar of Roxas and Naminé, who now stood diagonal from Yuffie and Leon. "Now, Sora and Kairi, you two are going to be the tip of our pyramid formation. Come stand over here," Tifa calmly requested, pointing to where she was standing. The two followed orders, and looking at the reflection in the mirror, Sora noticed how the rest of the group fanned out on both sides of him and Kairi.

"Sora," Tifa called, snapping him out of his thoughts. "The judges decided that you were one of the most experienced dancers here, which is why you are paired up with Kairi." Sora nodded, looking over at Kairi, who was apparently deep in thought, focusing. "Now, we'll do the steps first, and then we'll work with the music."

So after about five minutes of teaching steps, the group danced to an R&B-hip hop mix, all of them successfully performing the moves. "Alright, great job everyone!" Tifa clapped. "Let's go again." She started the music once more. After a half hour of additional steps, Tifa let them have a break.

Sora walked over to his bag, reaching inside and pulling out his water bottle. He popped the cap and poured the cold liquid into his mouth, swallowing and wiping sweat off his brow with his arm. He flashed a smile at Roxas when he reached into his blue bag lying next to Sora's and grabbed the water from inside. "Tired yet?"

Roxas shook his head, the tips of his blonde spikes swaying slightly with the movement. "Nope. We're just getting started." He took a swig of his water. "You?"

"Not a chance," Sora replied with a smirk. After a short silence, he said, "The song choice is pretty interesting, though. No voices."

"Oh, there are voices. Remember? We're dancing for a cover artist. Of course the track doesn't have voices; she has to sing them herself," Roxas explained. Sora nodded.

"Oh. Right." He looked across the room, catching Naminé watching Kairi, who was working on some steps with Tifa. "So, how's dancing with Naminé?"

Roxas's cheeks tinted a faint pink. "Uh, just fine. Like I said, she's good. How about Kairi?"

Sora gave him a look. "What about her?"

"Oh, come on! I saw the look on your face when she walked in. It was just like this," he said, making a face that was strangely the exact replica of what Sora would look like if he wore the expression. Sora elbowed him in the side.

"Shuddup."

Roxas laughed, one arm holding the spot Sora's elbow had nudged. "Relax. I was just kidding."

"Yeah, yeah," Sora said, rolling his eyes before taking another drink of his water.

"Great job, Kairi," Sora heard Tifa praise, which received a smile from Kairi in return. Tifa approached her and started commenting on her moves and Sora tilted his head to the side slightly.

"Kairi—" Sora paused, reflecting on how the name sounded coming from his lips "—has her own solo?"

Roxas's dumbfounded expression caught Sora off guard. "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?" Sora's eyebrows lifted in wonder. As music bounced off the grey walls, his gaze locked on the front of the room.

"Okay. Five, six, seven, eight!" Tifa counted, and the next thing Sora knew, Kairi was performing steps.

Kairi had a headset on, the microphone placed in front of her mouth as she danced. "_It's so hot, I can't stop. The music fills the room. Vibrations, sensations; that beat goes boom, boom, boom._"

Sora only watched, wide-eyed. His thoughts on why he was at the tip of the pyramid formation were cleared. The reason as to why Kairi was excused when she was late made sense. Tifa's comment as to why, because he was one of the most experienced dancers, was paired with Kairi dawned on him. Roxas's explanation suddenly added up.

Kairi...

_She_ was the cover artist?

* * *

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but the storyline. Song used in this part is **Let's Dance **by _Vanessa Hudgens_._

_Part II due out: _Friday

C**&**C


	2. Part II: Attraction

_A/N: I have to admit, my inability to be decisive really kills my stories. I've debated countless times on what songs sound right for this story, and I happened to change the one I chose for last chapter, which will also be used in this one. -sigh- You can go back and check if you'd like; if not, well that's okay, too. Anyway, I've come up with a list of what ones to use, so I have a pretty good idea now. Hopefully there won't be anymore changes like that. I apologize in advance if that happens again._

* * *

_Part II: Attraction__  
_

"No way…" Sora could only watch as Kairi sang into the microphone, her lips forming the words as she delivered them on beat.

"_I've got to keep it together. I've got to keep it together. I've got to keep it together. Watch the crazy people dance_." The girl delivered the moves with the beat, her eyes focused on her reflection in the mirror. How could he have missed this? How dense was he not to comprehend that she was the person Roxas was talking about when he first arrived?!

"You didn't know that Kairi was who we were working for?" Roxas asked, his eyebrows furrowed. Sora shook his head, his eyes still locked on Kairi, who was now handing the headset back to Tifa. "Man, your sources really _are_ weak."

"So…I'm partnered up with the girl that's singing, too?" Sora brought a hand to his face, sighing.

"Yep. I think you have the biggest responsibility here. Record companies are coming to see her the night of the performance, so she'll have a lot of the attention drawn to her. And since you're her partner, you have twice the amount of pressure to make her look good." Sora shot Roxas a glare.

Uh, duh?

Roxas laughed, reassuringly putting a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Man, relax. There's a reason why you're paired up with her. Apparently everyone thought that you could handle it better than anyone else. Take that as a compliment and go with it. You'll be fine."

Sora exhaled slowly, silently agreeing. Why was he making a big deal out of this anyway? He'd been going to auditions since he was thirteen. Hell, _D-Mix_ was bigger than her! So why was he worrying over the fact that he was paired up with the star of the show?

"Roxas! Come on! We're starting again!" Naminé hollered, waving the blonde over. He nodded, glancing at Sora once more before patting his shoulder and leaving to get beside Naminé. Sora put down his water bottle and listened as Tifa called everyone back for formation. He went and stood to Kairi's right, like they had started.

"Okay, let's run it again, guys!" Tifa ordered, running over to push Play on the stereo. Sora took a deep breath, getting into position. His eyes met Kairi's in the mirror, and she nodded at him with a faint smile. Butterflies rose in Sora's stomach as he returned it. Forget all the worries over his newfound responsibility.

She was worth it.

-

**S**

**-**

Rehearsals went by quickly after that day. Sora didn't know what it was that made them such a blur, but he could only guess it was what he was actually involved in, dealing with.

_Kairi._

She was a wonder. Over the course of a week of practicing, he'd gotten a few glimpses of the different sides of her personality. In rehearsals, she was very focused, watching her image strictly in the mirror as she performed the steps taught by Tifa. When she wasn't occupied by her concentration, she was smiling about almost everything. Every time Sora's eyes caught it his heart fluttered like a million butterflies were just trying to break free from his chest. However, he kept repeating to himself that he had to focus on his responsibilities and couldn't get distracted, no matter how breathtaking that grin of hers was. Besides, Kairi was a performance Goddess without his help; surely she would excel if he wasn't there.

But he had to admit, he didn't like to imagine his absence. For some reason, working with her felt so _right_, like their partnership was destined—governed by Fate. They worked well together. When she got flustered over a misstep, he encouraged her to try again. Even if the way she impatiently brushed the hair away from her face was the most adorable thing he had ever seen.

Now when he messed up, which happened quite a few times over the week, Kairi sometimes didn't see it—which he was grateful for. Sora would just brush it off and act as if nothing happened. That is, of course, if the mistake wasn't noticed by Tifa, who would blatantly point it out and show him the steps again. If that wasn't the case, and Kairi actually did catch him fumbling, she would just send him a reassuring smile, sometimes telling him, "Relax," and, "Your form's too stiff; you just need to loosen up a little."

If only he could tell her that she was the reason why.

Sora didn't know how to explain exactly what was happening to him. He strictly told Roxas the week before that he was not going to find himself interested in the opposite sex during "work". However, it seemed he was going back on his word. Kairi's mere presence screwed with his senses, causing his concentration to dwindle. His legs felt like jello when she casted him a glance, his knees quaking under his weight.

It was so wrong to him, yet it felt so _good._

But he knew he couldn't let himself get carried away. He simply couldn't get distracted, or else he would do terrible in the upcoming show. _Kairi's_ show.

After all, they were all there for her anyway. It was her time to shine, and they were just back-up—there to make her look good. He wouldn't even be noticed, would he?

Well, of _course_ he would. He was partnered with the star, with the Vocal Goddess, the young woman with the most angelic voice he had ever heard before in his life.

_Ugh! Snap out of it, Sora! Knock it off!_ He mentally smacked himself upside the head, gritting his teeth together. As if that wasn't enough, he faltered on his footing, tripping over his own feet and landing on his right side on the hard floor. He heard a scuffle of feet, the music halting. His cobalt blue orbs stayed glued to the light wood beneath him, his arms propping him up while his right leg rested on the floor under his left.

He did _not_ just mess up again.

Underneath his chocolate bangs, he noticed the light reflecting off the polished floor was now shrouded, shadows in its place. His eyes flicking forward slightly, the first thing he saw was a pair of light blue sneakers and then a pair of black and blue to the left of him, and to his right two other black-shoed feet.

"You okay?" came a soft voice, which he was sure he knew by heart. Lifting his head, Sora's eyes caught her violet-blue, her vibrant red hair dangling beside her cheeks and framing her worried face. He began to feel warmth spread to his face as his eyes darted to the left, catching onto a replica of his own before switching to his right to meet a pair of maroon. The last set looked a little irritated.

Yep… He screwed up.

"Err…yeah," he finally answered. "Yeah, I'm fine." Sora started to move, wishing to desperately get up from the ground. Glancing up again, he spotted a pale hand held out to him. He looked up at the source, the rate of the blood rushing to his face increasing. His sight back on the outstretched hand, he slid his calloused fingers into the softer ones before him, her slender fingers wrapping around his hand as she attempted to help him up. Sora's grip tightened around her hand as he rose to his feet, not only for the support but because he wanted to hold onto the feeling of his hand in hers for as long as he could.

Azure connected with chicory, concerned orbs meeting a set of two that shone highly with embarrassment, but at the same time joy. The warmth in the boy's cheeks rushed to his heart, causing him to take in a silent breath as his hand stayed in hers.

Oh, _crap_.

Quickly looking away, Sora drew back his hand, bringing it to the back of his head as a nervous smile crept on his lips. His eyes flickered from his shoes to Kairi's face, only to see that her mouth held a faint smile. He rubbed the back of his head, one or two embarrassed giggles escaping his lips. Someone cleared their throat to his right and he turned his head to find an arm-crossed Tifa staring at him.

"I think you may have to stay after rehearsal to work on your steps, Sora. We can't have you tripping during the show." Sora felt his stomach tighten at the look in Tifa's eyes. Despite the small amount of humor in her voice, the look in her eyes was hard. He nodded his head in understanding, not wishing to argue with an expression like that. Sora could see behind Tifa's calm demeanor; she wasn't very thrilled by his error. The brunette sighed, letting her arms fall to her sides. "Alright, everyone. Take five."

Sora felt the heavy weight in the room lift as small conversations started and the group drifted off to their bags to grab waters. He released a breath, his eyes falling on his shoes again as he scratched his cheek. That couldn't have been anymore embarrassing.

"Are you always this clumsy?"

Surprised, the boy's eyes flicked up to find the redhead still standing in front of him, an amused look on her face. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.

"Honestly, from what I've heard about you, I would expect someone who could easily glide across the dance floor," Kairi continued, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "Someone who could resist the pull of gravity…kinda like your hair." She giggled, pointing at his dark locks. Sora looked up, as if to peer at his hair as he tugged lightly on the tip of one of his spikes. A small smile reached his lips.

"Heh, I guess I'm not really myself today," he admitted, smiling sheepishly. Kairi only mimicked his smile, hers representing one of kindness.

"Are you sure it's just today?" She arched a perfect red eyebrow. "Over the last week you've been getting clumsier day by day. Is something the matter?"

Sora's eyes widened ever so slightly. "Uh…n-no, no. Nothing's wrong."

"Are you sure?" Kairi pressed, leaning towards him somewhat. This only caused Sora's heart rate to quicken.

"Y-yeah! Everything's fine!" he assured, inhaling her strawberry scent.

Kairi kept her eyes locked on him, not moving an inch as she studied him. Sora was sure his face was the color of her hair as his gaze stayed fixed on her, the smell of her perfume overwhelming. She smelled perfect even after dancing her hardest. Finally, after a few seconds, she leaned back to her original posture, her hands twining behind her back.

"Alright, if you're sure." Kairi offered him a small smile, a glimpse of amusement still in her eyes. Sora returned the smile a little awkwardly before she walked past him to quench her thirst. He released the breath that filled his lungs slowly through his mouth, his tense shoulders relaxing as he slouched a little. At that moment he really wanted to just crawl into a hole and hide from reality.

Slowly, he turned around and made his way toward Roxas, who was talking with Naminé as she sipped at her water. Sora approached them, ignoring their looks of wonder as he bent over, reaching into his bag to pull out his water bottle. He gulped down the liquid before meeting their gazes. Sensing the confusion and concern from the two, he offered both blondes a small smile and a thumbs up, hoping to discard their worry for him. It worked, for they replied with nods and smiles.

Tifa called the girls over so they could go over their set of steps as a single group. As Naminé excused herself, Sora sat down on the floor, leaning his back against the wall. Pulling up his legs, he took a swig of his water before resting his forearms against his knees, staring at the water bottle in his hands. Roxas sat down beside him, resting in a similar position.

"What happened back there?" he asked over the music that was now playing throughout the room.

Sora blinked once, his eyes still glazed over as his gaze stayed fixed on the object in his hands. "I just completely zoned out. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing and tripped over my own feet." He rolled his eyes. "Sounds like me to do something like that."

Roxas nudged him with his shoulder. "Forget about it. We all make mistakes."

Sora sighed, lowering his head. "Yeah, I guess. But not everyone embarrasses themselves in front of a girl like Kairi…" His breath halted as he tried to cover up his own words, not even _wanting_ to go there with Roxas. "…I-I mean, because she's so close to stardom. Nothing like this happened with _D-Mix_."

"Uh-huh, I see…" Sora risked a glance at Roxas, but took in a breath of relief at the fact that the blonde's eyes were fixed on the girls dancing. No doubt on Naminé, he was sure. Sora went back to staring at his sweats, contemplating on whether or not Roxas caught onto his slight confession. Hoping he didn't, he switched his thoughts over to what he would be spending most of his night doing.

More rehearsals.

By himself.

How convenient.

With a sigh, Sora reclined his head back, his spikes being pressed to the back of his head as he closed his eyes. He was planning on going home after this to catch up on the hours of sleep he had missed last night, and to make up for the rest of the nights he had been awake for this week. He'd gone to bed around ten or so but couldn't find himself actually falling asleep until the sun peeked at the horizon. Of course his thoughts keeping him up at night were the ones focused on this show.

And no matter how hard he tried to avoid it, he always ended up thinking of _her_, of the way her ruby strands of hair framed her delicate face. Or the way the innocent look in her periwinkle eyes was replaced by fierceness whenever she had a microphone in her hand, strutting along the length of the room as her mouth formed the lyrics of a song. He didn't doubt that he would dream of her touch tonight, either. That is, of course, if he actually _fell_ asleep.

Sora could feel himself drifting as he sat there, the sounds of the girls' shoes hitting the floor growing faint, the pulse of the music no longer shaking his insides, and Tifa's instructions quieting. His muscles began to relax and he could feel the bottle in his hands slipping from his grip. Maybe a little rest wouldn't be so bad…

"Great work, girls!" Tifa's voice, which had been so weak before, reached his ears at an alarming volume, shaking him from his half-asleep half-awake state, his eyes opening in a flash. His muscles tensed, his hand tightening around his water bottle again as his blue orbs began to contract back to their normal size. He took in a deep breath before slowly releasing it, bringing a hand to run over his face. It was going to be a long night, and he really needed his energy.

"I don't think we need to run through your steps again, boys. I didn't see any mistakes from you today… Well, _most_ of you." Sora internally groaned as she continued. "Anyway, you're all free to go. I'll see all of you at 10 A.M. tomorrow!" Everyone dispersed, grabbing their things. "As for you, Sora, you stay here for a while longer to work on those steps. We can't have you holding Kairi back."

Again with the internal groan.

Sora's head turned to see Roxas still sitting next to him, a sympathetic look plastered across his tan face. After a second he held out a fist and Sora knocked his against it, smiling slightly. Roxas returned the smile with a weak one of his own before pushing himself up to grab his things. After slinging his duffel over his shoulder, the blonde nodded toward Sora once more, then met with Naminé at the door to walk her home. Sora wished he could go home. Oh, how desperately he wanted to sleep in a comfy bed.

Unfortunately for him, that desire was a few hours away.

He ran a hand through his dark, disheveled spikes as a sigh escaped his lips, his elbows resting against his knees. Hearing shoes thud quietly against the wooden floor, the boy lifted his head and watched as Selphie and Yuffie started for the door. Only the cover artist and the choreographer remained, and he knew that once they left he would be alone in the rehearsal room to have to suffer the consequences of his gawky dance skills.

Sora's eyes followed Tifa as she sorted through the CDs by the stereo, making sure they were all back in place before she left. The group had multiple dance routines to go along with Kairi's songs; six out of ten to be exact. And Sora was messing up on not only one song, but about three. If he didn't get his act together soon, the show would be a disaster, all because of him; because he was Kairi's partner for a few out of those six songs, he needed to be on top of his game to be sure that she was her best. After all, when it came to dancing those numbers, he was the other half that made her performance whole. If he couldn't do the math, and connect his performance with hers, the show would be a disaster.

Sora's gaze flickered from Tifa to the redhead slipping on a light jacket, his eyes lingering on her for a longer period of time. She flipped her shoulder-length hair out of the collar of her outerwear before running her pale fingers through the thin strands, pushing her bangs back from her forehead simultaneously. She grabbed her tote and hung it on her elbow, digging through it and pulling out her cell phone. Sora's ears picked up her soft sigh from the other side of the room, and he immediately began to wonder what was on her mind. What was she thinking about at that moment? Was something wrong? Was she stressed? Worried? Annoyed? Upset? Too many questions with an insufficient amount of answers.

Besides, what were the chances of him, a silly, light-hearted dancer waiting to go pro, reaching a personal level with Kairi, a beautiful, ambitious young woman wishing to get a recording contract and become a celebrity?

_Very_ slim.

Sora could admit that he was naïve when it came down to certain things in his life, but when it amounted to him being involved with a girl like _Kairi_, well, he knew a lot better than to make assumptions. He'd never really had a girlfriend; dancing was pretty much his life. Like he told Roxas, relationships weren't what he was into right now. His main focus was his dance career, and that was it.

Sora blinked, his heart stopping when he realized that Kairi was making eye-contact with him. His breathing halted, his gaze locked with hers. His cheeks felt warm under her stare, but he couldn't force himself to look away.

Kairi's eyes stayed connected with Sora's as she traveled across the room, her sneakers making a dull pound against the floor with every step she took. He turned his head to follow her as she reached the door, and he noticed a small smile on her lips. It appeared to be a subtle sign of comfort and reassurance. That in turn brought a faint smile out of Sora as Kairi opened the door, the girl breaking eye-contact just as she stepped out of the room.

The upward turn remained on Sora's lips as he shifted his gaze to his water bottle still in his grip, the boy absorbing the calmer aura Kairi left behind. There was something about her… something different. He didn't know what it was, but she always seemed to make him feel more confident, serene, _better_.

"Sora."

Of course, just as Sora was getting settled into the atmosphere said redhead had left in her wake, it had to disappear.

He looked up, blue eyes meeting dark red.

"You seem to be having trouble keeping up with the rest of the group," Tifa began. Her eyes bored down into his from her position in front of him. "I would like you to stay for a couple hours and try to clean up your routine. You don't mind, do you?" She tilted her head to the side, dark hair swaying in that direction.

Sora, being too nice for his own good, couldn't help but oblige. "Of course not. I understand," he said with a small nod.

"Great." Tifa smiled softly. "Don't push yourself too hard tonight; I'm sure that if you still need to work on steps you can do it after other rehearsals." Sora's spikes bounced with another nod in acknowledgement, even though he internally groaned just hearing those words. The young woman pulled a clinking object out of the pocket of her grey sweatpants. "I'll leave you the keys to lock up once you're finished. I also set the CDs down by the stereo for you to use. Be sure to put them back and turn off all the lights before you leave."

Sora was about to take the keys from her outstretched hand, but Tifa suddenly curled her fingers around them, pointing a finger at him with her other hand. "But don't stay here past eleven, got it? I can't have you being sluggish on me tomorrow."

"Promise," the brunet replied, an honest smile on his lips. Tifa finally handed over the keys, and Sora stuffed them in his pocket as he stood up.

"Alright. See you tomorrow, Sora." The woman waved before exiting through the door, leaving Sora to fend for himself.

Sora's tired sigh echoed off the walls as he trudged over to the wide mirror, standing ten feet from it. He stared at his reflection, the empty room behind him. He took in a breath before slowly releasing it, running a hand over his face, trying to wake himself up. He had a long night of work ahead of him, and it was best he had the most energy he could come up with to get through it.

He approached the stereo, placing one of the discs into its slot so he could get started. Pressing "Play", a drum roll echoed through the room before an actual beat began to bounce off the walls. He went back to standing in front of the mirror again, and once the beat reached the right mark, he began to perform the moves that were etched into his memory.

Sora's eyes focused on his reflection as he danced, watching his footwork and paying attention to how his body moved. His brow furrowed as the routine continued, the boy working his arms and hands to pull off the precision Tifa had been emphasizing on today during practice. This, fortunately, was not a song he had the biggest problem on. He only fumbled with a small bit of the routine, but only because his thoughts drifted on him. The dance wasn't even that difficult; Sora just made it that way.

The segment he was working on came to an end, and he ran over to the stereo to start the song over again before it finished. The boy worked on it two more times to be sure he had it right; he couldn't afford any more mistakes on his part.

Once finished, Sora walked back over to where his bag lay, reaching inside it and pulling out his phone. He turned the device on, only to see that the time was 8:26. He was allowed about another three hours, and by the way Tifa had put it, he was to stay till eleven and not leave any sooner or later. With a sigh, Sora grabbed his water bottle, gulping some down before going back to the stereo to start at it again.

-

**S**

**-**

Sora breathed a sigh of relief as he left the building, having just given the keys to the night guard, who had said he would hand the keys over to Tifa when he saw her early in the morning, before his shift ended. The brunet took another gulp of his water as the cool air brushed over his sweaty face, his gravity-defying spikes swaying slightly in the breeze. It was a few minutes after eleven and he was absolutely exhausted. Thankfully his apartment was within walking distance.

As soon as Sora reached his door he jabbed the key into its slot and let himself in, locking it as he dropped his bags right in the entrance room. Not even bothering to change or shower, he approached the bedroom and collapsed on the bed, a deep breath leaving his lungs. He could already feel himself losing consciousness. His tense muscles immediately began to relax and before he knew it, he was off in Dreamland.

-

**S**

**-**

The next day at rehearsals Sora did better than he figured he would, and apparently Tifa was just as surprised as him. She didn't suggest that he stay after to work on the steps again. Sora gladly agreed, leaving the building in a happier manner than the day before. He could only assume that the amount of rest he received last night was the reason as to why he was doing so well; because of how much effort he put into working on his faults the night before, his sleep was a dreamless one, not even Kairi's face appearing in his unconscious.

But as the days went on, and the more they accomplished in practices, Sora found himself going back to square one—exhausted and thoughts of his partner invading his mind every few minutes. When he was with her it was worse, but that didn't mean it wasn't equally as bad when he reminisced over the day as he lay in bed. That led to her making appearances in his dreams, just like the week before.

Two weeks before the actual performance, Sora found himself dozing off as the girls did their own segments. Roxas would nudge him awake before Tifa could notice, but that didn't mean that her attention was completely void of him. Sora was an important factor in the show, only because he was paired with the act herself.

Now, Sora ran a hand aggravatingly through his mess of hair as Tifa told him that he had to stay after rehearsals again, considering it worked so well the last time. She insisted that he clean up his act, _immediately_. Despite the fact that Sora was quite a bit taller than the choreographer and could easily defend himself, the boy could only stand there in silence as she lectured him about being unprepared and faulting, his eyes focused on the floor.

"I mean it, Sora. If you don't get it together in the next week or so, Kairi's going to be without a partner and the show will be an awkward mess. If things don't go well that Saturday night, Kairi can lose her chance." Tifa pointed a finger at him. "And it will be because of you. Do you want that kind of guilt on your shoulders?"

Sora slowly lifted his head, his lips parting slightly and his eyes widening from the seriousness of the situation. Because of one person—because of _him_—the night's events could turn for the worse and Kairi's career could be over. She would hate him, never forgive him…and he would never forgive himself for ruining an innocent girl's life. "No…" he said softly, head lowering again. "No, I would never want that." The honesty was heavy in his voice.

Sora could feel all eyes on him at that moment, burning through the red fabric on his back, others reaching his face. One gaze was stronger than the others, though, and it wouldn't take a genius to know whose that was. Sora pressed his lips together as Tifa continued, the guilt already piling on him.

"Glad to hear it," she said, her tone stern. He caught her folding her arms from the corner of his eye, his stare still fixed on the wooden floor. "This could be a big opportunity for you as well, I'm sure. That _is_ why you auditioned, correct?" Sora numbly nodded, not daring to fill the eerie silence that occupied the room. Not one person made a sound, probably for the same reason he wasn't. "Mess this up and you could blow it. Those judges that you auditioned in front of a few weeks ago will feel they've made a big mistake picking you to dance along with Kairi, instead of the many other candidates that lined up that day."

Sora winced, his teeth biting down on his lower lip. He shut his eyes, staying silent; afraid to speak up and make the situation worse.

"Many guys would kill for the spot you have right now," Tifa said, her voice echoing off the grey walls. "If something happens that night that isn't according to plan, you will have convinced not only the audience but the talent agencies that you're a joke."

_I got it_, Sora thought bitterly, just wanting her to stop.

Naturally, nothing went the way he wanted. "Despite the fact that Kairi hasn't reached superstardom, she is still popular with the locals. Don't make hiring you to help her look good be a mistake."

_Ugh, stop already_. Sora's jaw tightened as he gritted his teeth together. He could feel his hand clench into a fist. He was downright embarrassed. Not only was Tifa causing guilt to overcome his being, but she was insulting him when she barely even knew who he was. He would never do something so harsh to someone, _especially_ Kairi.

"You're staying after rehearsal again tonight, as well as the next few. I want you in top form for the performance. I don't care what it takes; I just want you to be prepared," Tifa explained. "If you can prove to me that you're worthy of being here, then maybe I won't be so hard on you. Get your act together, Sora; I'm tired of seeing you stumble."

A heavy breath left through Sora's nose, his fists clenching even tighter at her words. He understood what she was saying, but couldn't she have done this at a better time? You know, when they were _alone_, without the other nine dancers in the room? "Alright," he finally spoke, his voice low.

Tifa kept her gaze on him. "Take a break, guys. I have to go talk to Cloud about some arrangements for next week." Sora didn't look up as she walked away, but when he finally heard the door shut behind her, he turned. Ignoring any of the stares being casted on him, he marched over to his bag to grab his water. Just as he was about to reach it, his anger reached a new height. Sora kicked angrily at his red duffel, forcing it back farther against the wall as an aggravated grunt left his throat. The heavy silence that followed was louder than any other noise he could think of.

_Dammit_, he mentally cursed, leaning forward and resting his forehead against the wall. He could feel all eyes on his back at that moment, but he could care less. Tifa didn't know anything; he would never do this on purpose! Of course he realized his errors, and that they were mistakes. But she didn't have to go as far as saying him being there was a mistake on its own.

Just the thought of it caused Sora's anger to control him again, the boy pounding his fist against the grey wall beside his head. It lingered there, the brunet gritting his teeth. Not once had he ever gotten this irritated at a rehearsal, and neither had he messed up this bad before.

_Ugh! What's __**wrong**__ with me?!_ Sora released a heavy breath, and he could hear the hiss he made as it left through his gritted teeth. He had another half-hour of rehearsal left, and he knew that when Tifa got back the tension was going to be just as high.

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and his muscles tightened even more. The touch was light, delicate. Sora opened his eyes, his sight shrouded by grey as his forehead stayed against the wall, his right arm still up by his head. He didn't move, nor did the hand resting on his right shoulder. It was obvious it wasn't Tifa, because she would have instructed him to get ready by now. Naminé? Possibly; they were friends. It wouldn't be Roxas; he would have spoken up already. One of the other girls? Sora didn't think so; they didn't know him that well. Unless…

Sora turned his head slowly, and he was somewhat surprised to find her to be the one beside him. Her expression was calm, but Sora could easily detect the worry in her beautiful eyes. Her eyebrows were furrowed ever so slightly, concern evident on her face. But the hand that rested on his shoulder was meant to bring him comfort, and now that he realized it was Kairi, he did relax a little.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, leaning forward a little. The room was still quiet. Before answering, Sora turned his head a little farther to his right, noticing the others looking at him; some of their expressions were confused, others worried, while a few were actually holding fear. He guessed some people didn't plan to see him act out like that. Hell, he didn't either.

Sora finally focused on the girl next to him again. "…Yeah," he said softly. He turned his head away from the others a little more, his eyes focusing on the grey wall again. "I'm fine…" He had to admit—he didn't think his tone was all that convincing, but hopefully Kairi would let it go; he couldn't be more of a burden to her. He was doing enough of that already.

Apparently she didn't believe him; her hand still lay on his shoulder, her eyes fixed on him. But Sora didn't meet her gaze. He didn't want to and didn't think he could; he was embarrassed enough, and now that Kairi was next to him, he had the urge to just walk out.

But he couldn't afford to do that, either. If he did that, Tifa would be right…about everything. Sora would cause Kairi's future to falter, the show to be a disaster, and he would make a joke out of himself.

"Hey," Kairi whispered, her voice holding reassurance in just that one word. Sora let his eyes rest on her, only to notice that she was a little closer to him. Her violet-blue eyes gazed up into his ocean blue. "Don't worry about it. Tifa's just a bit stressed. Don't let her get to you."

Sora nodded a few times, lowering his sight to his shoes. He would have blushed if he wasn't so upset with the situation. His heart leaped when her hand gently squeezed his shoulder, causing him to look at her again.

"Sora," she said, and he loved the way his name sounded coming from her lips. "Just take a deep breath. We have about another two weeks to get this right, okay? It'll be fine."

Sora felt a smile pull at his lips. "Yeah… Thanks, Kairi," he replied, his voice hushed. She smiled back and nodded. However, she broke eye-contact when the door opened and peered around him. Sora followed suit, glancing over his shoulder, where Kairi's hand still stayed, to see Tifa coming in. Her eyes locked on Sora's for a second before roaming the rest of the room.

"Let's get to work," she ordered, walking over to the stereo. Sora sighed as everyone got ready, his eyes finding Kairi again. She met his gaze and offered him another smile.

"Remember what I said," she told him. Once he nodded, she rubbed his shoulder and then lowered her hand, starting toward the center of the room. Sora looked after her, watching her for a moment before following.

He had to prove to Tifa that he deserved to be here; he had to show the talent agencies that he wasn't a joke—that this was what he wanted to do with his life.

Most of all, he had to prove to Kairi that he wasn't a screw up and wasn't going to let her night of stardom fade because of him.

He needed to show her that he was committed. Not only to the show…but to her.

* * *

_Disclaimer: Still stands. Song used in this part is **Let's Dance** by_ Vanessa Hudgens_._

_Part III due out: _Monday

C**&**C


	3. Part III: Limitless

_A/N: You know, this part right here made me realize that I should **never** limit myself to a number of chapters. The length itself explains it all. Dx_

* * *

_Part III: Limitless_

Sora found himself alone once again, grey walls surrounding him, his cobalt blue eyes staring back at him through the wide mirror. His lips were turned down in a small frown, his eyebrows furrowed, a crease in his forehead. If he was going to redeem himself, he had a lot of work to do. As much as he wanted to just walk out of the room and ignore what happened there earlier that day, he knew he couldn't; he had to suffer the consequences of his actions, even if they weren't intentional.

As he set up the stereo, he couldn't help but think back to the lecture. Tifa's words hit him hard…harder than he imagined. True, at the time it was awful and mortifying, but there was nothing he could do about it now. In fact, he felt worse. Even if he was alone and there was no one to be embarrassed in front of anymore, he still felt humiliated.

Sora worked on his steps, all the while still thinking. How could Tifa make such assumptions? How could she accept that without proof? Were his slip-ups all the proof she needed?

A sound of annoyance left the brunet, both at the thought and the fact that he messed up on his footing. He walked toward the mirror, where a stool was set, and picked up the remote that lay on the seat. Skipping back a few seconds in the song, he started from where he fumbled, a bead of sweat beginning to trickle down his temple.

_Focus_, he demanded of himself. _Just __**focus**__._

Dismissing his previous thoughts and concentrating solely on his reflection in the mirror, Sora finally worked his way through the routine without messing it up. He sighed in relief once he finished, a smirk forming on his face at his own achievement. Great, one of the independent acts was cleaned up…for today. Now he just had to focus on the partnered numbers…

The routines he destroyed all on his own. Terrific.

Sora switched songs, selecting one with an average tempo. Unfortunately, that didn't mean the dance was as easy.

The boy attempted the routine for around twenty minutes, going through the steps and making a misstep _every_ _single_ _time_. Of course, it was harder now that he was alone, but he tried to turn all of his concentration toward what he saw in the mirror and the steps anyway.

As soon as he looked in the wall-length mirror and started again, he found himself visualizing her next to him. Sora couldn't help but picture the way her brow would crease as she tried a move for the first time, or the way her ruby hair would whip around her delicate face every time she performed the routine. Occasionally she would make eye-contact with him through the mirror, but when she looked at him dead-on when they had to face each other, her chicory eyes would nearly cause his legs to give out from underneath him.

Sora shook his head, using his legs along the floor as he remembered Tifa instructing him to. No, he couldn't let his mind drift again.

But no matter how hard he tried, he wasn't able to follow the order.

The physical contact they had to make as partners would cause Sora to quake at the knees. A surge of _something_ would course through his entire being even if she just touched his arm or his hand, merely a finger. The girl was just so captivating; he didn't know how to handle himself around her.

Her angelic voice flowed through his ears, even though they weren't on the track. Her heart-shaped face flashed before his eyes, blinding him. The next thing he knew, his knee met the wooden floor beneath him. The boy's blue eyes pierced the floor.

"Are you _serious_?!" Sora asked himself through gritted teeth, his voice rising from frustration.

He did it _again_?

Sora curled his fingers in his hair, gripping it with pure aggravation. "_Agh_!" he cried through gritted teeth, dragging out the sound as he squeezed his eyes shut. He let his body recline, his back meeting the cold floor. His hands fell down to his sides as he glared up at the ceiling, breathing heavily from dancing and the irritation that coursed through his veins. At this rate, he was _never_ going to get this right. And all because of _her_—because of _Kairi_.

Sora let his eyes close, the sweat trickling down the side of his face as he sucked in air through his parted lips. He just didn't understand. What was so special about her? Why was it that she caught his attention unlike any other girl he had met? What did she have that nobody else did?

A few weeks ago his life was perfect; not one thing was wrong. Only the audition stressed him, but once it was done nothing else did. That was, of course, until he met _her_.

Her silky red hair, her enchanting eyes, her dazzling smile, her amazing personality… Her _everything_. She was just so…so radiant—_pure_. He couldn't deny that she was beautiful. In fact, she was _beyond_ it. Kairi was so genuine, true. Through the weeks of working with her, he didn't notice one flaw. Did his eyes betray him? Or was what he witnessing the real thing?

Sora sighed, hearing nothing but the music and his calmer breathing. Who was he kidding? Despite the lack of relationships Sora had had, he knew that Kairi was different from other girls. And not only in presence or personality, but something else…

She was somebody he knew he could never have.

Sora felt an uncomfortable pang hit his heart. That thought was heart wrenching, tearing him at the very core. He had never felt so strongly toward someone the way he did Kairi, a girl he barely knew but saw so much potential in. He had no doubt that next Saturday was going to be her big break. She deserved it. Hell, she deserved anything that she received. Except for pain. If anyone hurt her…

Sora felt his hands clench at just the thought. Kairi didn't need any of that, especially from him. What he was doing—holding her back—was making it worse for her in the long run. And that's why he was here, in the practice room around seven at night, to make up for what he'd done. If only he could just get her off his mind, then maybe he could focus.

But it was impossible, no matter how hard he tried to make it viable. Her being was permanently carved into his brain…and most likely his heart.

Sora released another breath, the music ringing in his ears. _Kairi_…

"Sora?"

"Gah!" Sora gasped, his eyes flashing open. His heart thumped in his chest at an alarming rate as his wide blue eyes located the source of the voice. The first thing he noticed was vibrant strands of hair, a giggle resounding in the room. He panted, his eyes focusing on the pair above him, which were in close proximity. Tilting his head back slightly against the floor, Sora could see that her hands were on her knees as she leaned over him. He began to relax, his body going limp on the floor as his eyelids fluttered closed for a moment so he could regain his composure.

"Whoops! Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Her voice rang through his ears, real this time. Sora took in a breath before opening his eyes, immediately seeing the sheepish grin on her face.

"Don't worry about it," he insisted. He could feel his heart still beating rapidly against his ribcage, his blood pumping fiercely through his veins. Apparently his nerves still needed to die down. "What are you doing here, Kairi?"

She smiled down on him, and Sora was forced to blink to avoid fascination. "I came to see you, silly."

Sora arched an eyebrow. "What? Why?"

She shrugged, her hands still on her knees. "I don't know. I figured you could use some company." She tilted her head to the side slightly, her red hair dangling next to her face. "Unless you're napping. You wouldn't need my company for that."

Sora couldn't help but chuckle. "No, I'm not napping. Just…resting." He made a face. What was the difference?

Kairi simply laughed. "That doesn't sound much like a deviation." Sora smiled sheepishly, scratching his cheek as he continued to lie on the floor. Kairi turned her head, looking around the room before gazing back down at Sora. "You're not auditioning for Laziest Bum, are you? I'm sure you would land that spot as well, with the way things are going."

Sora's eyes widened, causing Kairi to laugh again. He blinked before smirking playfully, lifting an arm. "Would you like to join me, Miss Coleman?" he taunted, grabbing her forearm and lightly yanking her down. With a squeal she landed beside him, landing on her rump and facing his direction.

"Hey!" she cried, backhanding him on the shoulder. He only grinned as he tilted his head to the side to look at her. Her attempt to hold seriousness against her features soon dissolved as she started giggling, one hand resting on her leg that was beside Sora's head.

"Oh, c'mon. You should've seen that one coming," Sora said, pushing himself up with a grunt.

Kairi shook her head as her soft laughter faded. "You're unpredictable, Sora Carter."

"What can I say?" Sora started, shrugging. "When people expect me to go right, I go left." This earned a smile out of Kairi, which caused Sora's to widen. As a small silence came between the two of them, the music entered his ears again, and he was sure that the song he had been dancing to earlier was back a few tracks.

Kairi seemed to notice the choice of music. "Wait… Are you working on the partnered dances?" she asked, her perfect eyebrows lifting. Sora nodded, and her eyes widened slightly. "Isn't that a bit difficult? You know, since you're alone?"

Sora folded his legs, leaning up and resting his hands against his calves. "Well, yeah, a little. I'm still trying…" He paused, rubbing the back of his head. "Um, _was_ trying."

"No luck, huh?"

Sora smirked. "Why do you think I'm still on the floor?" He used his hands to gesture to his spot.

As Kairi tucked a few tendrils of her hair behind her ear, she said, "Good point. But still, you can always try again."

"What's the point?" Sora's eyebrows pulled together. "I'll just mess up again, and it's not like it'll get any easier. I've done the routine again and again, but I can never really finish it without doing something stupid at least once."

Kairi only smiled sweetly, causing Sora's breath to catch. "I wouldn't be too sure of that. Things can always be accomplished when you have help." She stood herself up, dusting off her deep blue sweatpants.

Sora quirked an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side as he pointed a finger at her. "Wait a second. You mean…"

Kairi put her hands on her hips. "To keep you company wasn't the only reason I came, Sora. If you needed help, I was gladly going to give it to you."

"You don't have to," he insisted, brown spikes swaying as he shook his head. "You've got enough on your hands as it is. Plus, if Tifa finds out you were here—"

"Tifa said herself that she didn't care what it took, remember? So there shouldn't be a problem." Kairi bent down, offering a hand out to Sora. He took it, his hand sliding into hers. A sense of déjà vu ran over him, remembering that not too long ago they were in a similar position—him on the floor with Kairi holding out a hand.

Once he was up, they let go, not holding on for as long as last time. Kairi started toward the stool near the mirror, grabbing the remote. "Besides," she started, scanning through the songs, "I can use all the practice I can get. I have to sing _and_ dance."

"Makes me wonder why I'm complaining," Sora muttered, running a hand through his spikes. Kairi turned to him then, her hand still on the remote.

"You're so hard on yourself, Sora. You just need to let loose and have fun." Kairi glanced back at the stereo in the corner of the room, pushing a button. Music filled Sora's ears, and ironically Kairi picked the song he had given up on. She set the remote down on the stool and started toward his position. "It may be considered work, but you should also remember that opportunities like this can be entertaining, too."

Sora watched as Kairi came to his side, getting in position. "But how can I have fun when I have so much to worry about?"

Kairi turned her head toward him, a small smile on her face. "That's where I come in." Sora tilted his head in confusion, but Kairi only looked towards her reflection. "Okay. Five, six, seven, eight."

-

**S**

-

It had only been a few minutes and already Sora was messing up. Every time he did, Kairi would grab the remote off the stool and start the song over again. He felt bad; he was building limits for her. She was trying so hard to help him, yet he still wasn't progressing.

As Kairi went up to the stool again, breathing heavily from the work, she reached for the remote. "Hey, Sora?"

"Yeah?" he panted, wiping sweat from his forehead with his arm.

"You don't mind if I try singing with the routine, do you?" she asked, pressing a button.

Sora looked at her for a second before shaking his head. "Of course not," he said. Her voice was beautiful, from what little he heard of it. She hadn't started singing in practices yet, for they were more focused on the dance steps. Sora had seen her mouth the words occasionally, but that was it.

Kairi set the remote down, walking over to a corner of the room. "Great," she replied with a smile. She grabbed the Nady HM-5U headset, putting it on and flipping the switch. "Test, test," she spoke into the black mouthpiece, her voice echoing through the room. "Alright," she said with satisfaction, walking back over to the stool in the front of the room. She pressed a button on the remote and a beat began pulsating through the room.

Sora got ready, a light tempo reaching his ears. Kairi came beside him, getting into position. Sora glanced at Kairi, who nodded her head, as if counting. "Five, six, seven, eight!"

"_You've been waiting so long. I'm here to answer your call,_" she began, and the two side-stepped, their feet gliding across the floor. They bent their knees in unison, their arms moving with the notion. "_I know that I shouldn't have had you waiting at all. I've been so busy but I've been thinking 'bout what I wanna do with you._

"_I know them other guys, they've been talkin' 'bout the way I do what I do. They heard I was good, they wanna see if it's true."_ Kairi twirled her hips as Sora slide-stepped over to her, getting behind her. He snapped his fingers to the beat, his hand out by her side so it was visible in the mirror while the other was on her waist. "_They know you're the one I wanna give it to._" Kairi turned her head, looking up at Sora as she sang, "_I can see you want me too_." She put a hand on his shoulder before pushing him away, the two separating.

"_Now it's me—it's me and you now._" The two clapped their hands above their heads before taking two steps to the left. "_I've been waiting, waiting. Think I wanna make that move now. Baby, tell me if you like it. Tell me if you like it._"

The two of them worked on the partnered bit, coming closer to each other. "_It's me and you now. I've been waiting._" Sora grabbed Kairi's hand and pulled her to him, simultaneously twirling her so her back was against his chest before she twisted back out. "_Think I wanna make that move now. Baby, tell me how you like it._" She walked forward a few steps away from him while he faced her until she turned back. Facing each other a few feet apart, they performed the same steps. Sora kept his eyes focused on her as he tried to concentrate on his moves at the same time.

"_I was waiting for you to tell me you were ready._" They both jumped before crossing their feet on the floor and then spinning in a quick circle. Sora did a smooth slide step toward Kairi, gliding on one knee. "_I know what to do if only you would let me._"She then threw her hip in his direction, her arms going in the same direction above her head, her hands linked. Sora rose from his spot on the floor. "_As long as you're cool with it, I'll treat you right._" Kairi turned toward him, doing a body roll against him as she sang, "_Here is where you wanna be._" This move caused Sora's insides to swirl—his heart leaping, his body tingling.

Kairi turned quickly, her hair whipping behind her as she took a step away from Sora. "_I know them other guys, they've been talkin' 'bout the way I do what I do_," she sang, before they both faced the mirror again. "_They heard I was good; they wanna see if it's true_."They stepped to the left, their right feet crossing behind their left as their arms pumped down. They spun again before they bent their knees and tilted their heads quickly from one side to the other, Kairi's hair being thrown in that direction, some of her red strands splaying across her face. "_They know you're the one I wanna give it to. I can see you want me too_. _And now it's me and you._"

As she continued, Sora watched his feet in the mirror, making sure he didn't trip. He was actually very surprised at how well he was doing. He should have messed up by now, considering how far they had gone into the song already. But he could only guess that the reason why he was doing so well was because of Kairi; the aura she sent off gave him more confidence, which was a great advantage. The young dancer recognized this part of the song, so he turned his head toward Kairi, side-gliding toward her smoothly as she sang the words.

"_Baby, I'll love you all the way down. Get you right where you like it_," she sang softly, facing Sora. "_I promise you'll like it. I swear_." She spun, her hair coming into her face as she put her hands against Sora's chest, starting to push him back as she walked slowly with the beat. "_Just relax and let me make that move. It's our secret, babe._" As she voiced the next words, she lifted a hand off of Sora's chest, bringing her finger to the tip of his nose. "_Keep it between me and you._" She smiled before turning around and singing again, performing steps.

Sora tried to keep the grin off his face as he danced with her, but couldn't resist. Kairi had a hold on him like no other girl had before. She was so different, but that's what attracted him to her. Her personality shined through whenever he saw her, confidence always in her step. The girl carried herself so well.

As she sang, "_Me and you, it's just me and you_," Kairi dragged her right foot in a semi-circle, starting in front of her and pulling it around to the back. She then let the same foot tap the floor next to her, crossing her wrists in front of her face and then bringing them behind her head. She stepped forward with her left foot, arms stretching out in front of her, and slid toward the mirror, her arms coming to her sides when she moved forward. Her left hand found her hip as she rocked her waist from side to side, while she held up two fingers with the other hand. "_It's just us two. It's just me and you now._"

She twirled toward Sora, her back meeting his chest again as he put his arms around her waist. "_I've been waitin', for your love I've been waitin'._" Their hips swayed from side to side, her arms over his as they stared at the mirror. "_Gonna make that move now. Baby, tell me how you like it._"

The music faded out and the two's dancing came to a halt. Sora gazed at the mirror from over Kairi's right shoulder, short-winded and panting for breath. He took in their position, watching as neither of them moved a muscle as the disk switched over to another fast-paced song. Sora remained where he was, his arms locked around Kairi's waist. She didn't make any move to separate either, her hands resting on his forearms. Her head tilted back slightly, resting against Sora's shoulder, her hair touching the side of his neck. The girl was breathless as well, gulping in air as she closed her eyes for a moment. As the beat bounced off the walls, Sora could also make out Kairi's breathing coming through the mouthpiece of the headset.

The sweet fragrance of her perfume entered Sora's senses, and he closed his eyes as he absorbed it. This moment—here and now—was one he didn't think he would be having with her. It seemed impossible for him to be holding her so close, especially since the routine was over and she wasn't tearing herself apart from him.

Where did this sudden surge of courage come from? Normally he would have pulled away from uncertainty or nerves. But presently, there were no jitters, no amount of doubt. Only assurance and something else Sora couldn't identify; a funny feeling was in his heart, like a million butterflies were fluttering around in his chest and with every beat they were closer to breaking free from their cage. This feeling had never been within him before; something foreign.

Sora's cobalt blue eyes met his reflection in the mirror, his breathing calming. Flitting his eyes over, he could see Kairi observing herself in his arms, her head no longer leaning against his shirt. Her auburn strands of hair were brushing against his left cheek, though, tickling him slightly. However, he didn't show it. He blinked when the girl's chicory eyes met his own blue orbs, her expression calm as she continued to catch her breath.

"How," Sora started, swallowing air, "was that?"

Kairi nodded in approval, her expression unreadable. "Better." She inhaled before releasing the breath. "Much better."

Sora nodded slightly, exhaling heavily. "Good."

A silence overcame them, although the music still resounded in the room, along with their heavy breathing. Their eyes stayed connected, an intense look in each pair of eyes. Sora could sense what his was. As for Kairi's, he wasn't sure if it was in dislike of their position or a strong pull of attraction.

The grasp on his forearms tightened suddenly and he looked down, his gaze leaving the mirror. Sora felt Kairi's hands grip his arms harder, making him furrow his eyebrows in disarray. Glancing back up at their reflections, he noticed the look on the redhead's face. "Kairi?" he wondered aloud, his voice showing his confusion.

She then started to wriggle free from his hold, in which he released her immediately, the girl stepping away from him. She kept her head down as she walked a few feet away, stopping a good distance from him. Sora turned his body slightly to face her, his sweaty face representing his mental state. He could only watch as she ripped the headset off, a sound of impatience leaving her lips. Her pale fingers raked through her dark red locks. At this point the CD had come to a stop, silence filling the room.

"Kairi?" Sora called again, his eyes showing his concern.

Kairi turned around slowly, one hand still in her hair. She stared at the ground for a minute before lifting her sight to him, an apologetic look in her eyes. She shook her head slowly as she whispered, "We can't."

Sora continued to gaze at her with furrowed eyebrows. "Can't what?" He knew what she meant. _Of course_ he knew what she meant.

The hand that was in Kairi's hair fell, slapping against her leg. "That!" she said, motioning to the mirror. "We can't do _that_! What we just did!"

Sora shook his head slowly, taking a step closer. "Kai—"

"_No_," she declared, her voice firm. "We can't, Sora. I'm sorry."

"Why not?" he challenged. "I'm not the only one who feels it… You do, too."

Kairi bit her lip, her eyes falling to the floor. She shook her head, red hair swaying. "Even so, I can't do it…" She looked up, staring at his form a few yards away. "Not with one of my dancers."

"But—"

"Even if we did goof off with each other and form a friendship, that's all we are. We're friends."

Sora never knew how hard words could impact him. Kairi saying that to him was like taking a bullet to the chest.

"I understand that it could easily develop into something more," she admitted. "The way we danced clearly showed that."

"Then why not let it?" Sora countered, his voice rising slightly. "What's so wrong about it? We're partners; even if we didn't feel this way toward each other, we would still have to dance like we did." Kairi shook her head again, and Sora decided to take a step or two forward, gradually getting closer to her. "Let's stop pretending, Kairi. I'm tired of hiding my feelings. I have been since the day I met you."

"Don't say that…" Her voice was starting to shake. "I already said no."

Sora stared at her for a minute, a breath leaving him silently. "Just…just be honest with me," he requested gently. "Between the two of us—did you feel…anything?"

Kairi diverted her gaze to the floor, her head turning a little. She pressed her lips together, closing her eyes. After a moment's silence, she nodded.

"Then why are you denying it?" Sora asked, his eyes pleading. "Why can't you just give into your feelings? What's so wrong about—about _us_?"

Kairi's eyebrows furrowed over her eyes. "We're here strictly for business, Sora. We didn't come looking for relationships."

"So what? Haven't you ever heard that the best things come to you when you're not seeking them?" Sora's heart was beating hard against his chest, heavy with sadness but also full of hope. "Have a little faith, Kairi. Good things come to those who least expect them. Why can't you just accept…_this_?"

"I can't be held back anymore!" Kairi suddenly cried, causing Sora to fall silent. His features expressed his shock, but also his hurt. Kairi's free hand clenched into a tight fist. "I've tried so hard to even _make_ it as far as I have. A relationship will only keep me at the same place I am now!"

"…So that's it?" Sora started, his tone hushed. "You don't want me to keep you from your dream?" His head was lowered by the time he finished, his eyes focusing on the floor beneath him. "I guess I am being a little selfish…" he admitted softly, a hand coming up and rubbing the side of his head of spikes.

Kairi tilted her head to the side slightly, her expression holding remorse despite her decision. "Sora… I really am sorry."

"I-I know," Sora said, lifting his head to look at her. His hand moved to the back of his neck as he glanced away for a second. "I was… I just thought…" He sighed, lowering his head again. He was at a loss for words. What could he say? He was being rejected, his feelings getting tossed back in his face.

"Sora, please understand. I do like you…a lot. But I just can't right now."

Sora offered her a small smile. "I know. Like I said before, you have a lot on your hands. I understand…" After a few seconds of silence, he turned around, walking near the door. Once he approached the wall, he bent down, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. It may have been earlier than he was supposed to leave, but there was no reason for him to stay anymore. He accomplished his goal for tonight: cleaning up his act, fixing one routine.

"Where are you going?"

Sora turned his head at the soft voice, his eyes falling on Kairi on the other side of the room. She looked as upset as he felt, and he desperately wanted to just walk up to her and wrap his arms around her to get rid of that expression on her face. But it was out of the question now.

Even if she did feel the same way, she didn't want him.

"Oh… Uh," Sora began, looking away until an excuse came to mind. His eyes met Kairi's again and he finished. "Tifa didn't say I had to stay as late today, so…"

"Oh." Kairi tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

Sora nodded, standing there for a second as he let his eyes rest on the floor under his feet. After a minute of the awkward silence, he walked forward a few feet, pulling some clinking metal out of his pocket. He placed the keys on a table by the door. Biting his lip, he grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open, walking out of the room and down the hall, a loud "click" echoing in the hallway once the door shut.

A sigh left Sora's lips as he rubbed the back of his head, closing his eyes. All of that faith and hope in his heart… It all just diminished. Here he was, hoping that Kairi would accept his feelings toward her. But she didn't, telling him that it would be too hard…and that he would be holding her back. Tifa had lectured him on that earlier, and he thought it was all a lie. Maybe he was naïve; his optimism shrouded the reality of his life. He was too soft; to survive, you had to have tough skin.

He was sure his was just like paper—delicate, bendable, and easily torn.

Now he knew his heart was the same way.

The fresh air didn't help Sora compose himself. Knowing that the one person who can make you feel whole doesn't want you back shatters you. Sora was stuck picking up the pieces on his own.

He watched his feet as he walked, silence surrounding him. One particular thought haunted his mind as he traveled home, a realization that hit him earlier that evening. Kairi… She really _was_ someone he couldn't have. He should've understood that before he got in too deep. He'd never really had any luck with girls before, so why should this be any different?

Well, for one—none of them were Kairi.

Two—he'd never really felt his heart speak to him the way it did when he met her.

He always thought that "love at first sight" was just a phrase, but it wasn't. It never really had been. He couldn't deny that he and Kairi barely knew each other; they'd only known of each other's existence for a couple weeks. But something in his heart told him that she was someone who could change his life forever; someone who could turn his world upside-down; someone who could prove to him just by being there that not everything is impossible and not everyone should give up.

But isn't that what he was doing—giving up?

In order for someone to be happy, that's what he had to do. Sora had never really given up on anything, especially relationships. They gave up on him. There was nothing there to really love about the previous people he had met; not like her. There was so much he already loved about her…

But…maybe he did come on too strong.

Sora kicked at a pebble on the sidewalk, the sound of it hitting the pole of a streetlight reaching his ears. The warmth that had rushed to his heart when he saw Kairi was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Nothing had been as strong as that feeling. He knew then that it had to be more than a crush, because puppy love was never that powerful.

Sora dug into his pocket before pulling out his phone. It was a little after nine. As he waited for the crosswalk sign to change, he leaned against the pole. It wasn't that late; he could probably swing by the local ice cream shop and grab a Sea Salt bar before they closed.

Sora jumped when his phone started to ring. Reading the ID, he noticed that it was Roxas. Sora's eyebrows furrowed as he hit a button, bringing the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"_Sora, glad I caught you man. Are you still in the studio?_"

"Er…not really."

"_What are you doing then?_"

"Uh…walking home? Why do you ask?" Sora put a hand in his pocket as his shoulder leaned against the post.

"_Actually, I was wondering if you were all right after what happened earlier today. Tifa was a little harsh,_" Roxas said.

Sora grimaced. "Ugh, don't remind me."

"_I mean, you didn't mess up __**that**__ bad._" Sora rolled his eyes as Roxas continued. "_A few little mistakes here and there, but can easily be fixed._"

"Roxas," Sora started. "Is there really any point to this phone call?"

"_Of course there is. I'm not the only one who's worried about you, you know. Naminé has her concerns, too._"

Sora smiled softly. "I appreciate it, but you guys don't have to worry about me. I can handle anything thrown at me…and I do mean 'anything'," he said, muttering the last part.

There was a pause on the other line. "_Sora? You sure you're okay, man? You sound kinda down._"

Sora sighed, shifting so his back was against the pole. "Trust me, Roxas. When I say I can handle it, I can handle it."

"_What happened?_" Roxas asked, and Sora scanned the street around him. He glanced back the way he came before looking ahead again.

_Wait a second._ Sora did a double-take, his sight darting back to the way he had traveled. His breath caught when he noticed a figure twenty yards down the street, enough light in the sky to allow him to see exactly who it was.

"_Sora?_"

"Uh…Roxas, I'm gonna have to call you back," Sora said, his eyes still glued to the sight before him.

"_Huh? Sora, wait—_"

Sora ended the call despite Roxas's protests, slipping the phone back in his pocket as he watched the figure continue in his direction. She wasn't strolling like he had been, but walking quickly. Wait—was she coming toward him, or just in a rush?

"K-Kairi?" Sora hollered, blinking to make sure he wasn't just imagining the girl heading toward him. She didn't answer, but only continued walking, her pace seeming to pick up a bit when she heard his voice. He could only stare in confusion, not sure as to what exactly was happening. She slowed down about fifteen feet away, coming to a halt. "Kairi, what are you doing?"

"I was wrong," she said, a little breathless. "I shouldn't have said any of those things to you, especially after I said I felt the same about you."

Sora's eyebrows knitted together. "But you told me you couldn't afford to be in a relationship right now. You said…you said I was holding you back."

Kairi shook her head, her breathing back to normal. "No, no. You're not at all." When Sora's face only showed more confusion, she continued. "Listen, Sora. I may have said those things, but I wasn't being honest. You see…I was a little skeptical about this whole thing—about the show. I wasn't really sure if things were actually going to change, instead of staying the same like the other times. When Tifa told me she would be choreographing another group of people to dance with me, I wanted to tell her to just forget about it because I didn't think it was really worth it. I kept asking myself what would be different this time around. I didn't have an open mind, and I definitely wasn't being optimistic."

Kairi smiled sweetly, almost shyly. "But then I met you. When I got to the studio that first day, I didn't think that I would see things differently. I just thought I would have to force myself through more rehearsals. But after partnering up with you…I knew things changed. Working with you that day, I began to see things in a new light. Remember when I messed up, and you told me to just laugh at my own mistakes?"

Sora nodded silently, still trying to absorb everything she was saying.

"Well, after that, I felt that _you_ were going to be the difference this time around. The previous guys I've performed with, they were never as carefree as you are. They barely even paid attention to what I was doing with them; they didn't care about me, but only themselves." She took in a breath, her smile softening. "You were the opposite—you were actually worried about how I would do. The first time you were forced to stay after practice I knew that you did. Other guys would have walked out then and there. It's happened before, so I was half-expecting it to happen again."

Sora blinked in shock. "Really?"

Kairi nodded. "Yeah. And when you didn't, I was actually flattered. That's one of the reasons why I smiled at you before I left—out of gratitude."

Sora listened intently, though he couldn't help but wonder what the other reasons were.

"And then today, when you got so upset about it—that was when I realized that you truly cared about me. The way you looked when Tifa was yelling at you… It hurt to see you like that," Kairi admitted, lowering her gaze to the concrete. "It made me upset to listen to Tifa make assumptions like that. I knew you would never do that to anyone. Tifa's stress gets in the way of her common sense, which was probably why she lashed out on you. Regardless, it shouldn't have happened, and I want to say I'm sorry for not at least saying something."

Sora shook his head. "Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault," he said gently.

"Maybe…" Kairi's voice grew softer as she rubbed her arm. "But I shouldn't have used the same excuse a little while ago. It was immature of me to use that against you."

"So… I'm not holding you back?" Sora asked, wondering if he was getting the story straight.

"Not at all," Kairi confessed quietly, her voice holding a bit of remorse. "You've done everything but. You see, you've helped me more than anything. When I dance with you, it's so…strange. I mean, before I never really connected with anybody. But a few minutes ago, I fell in sync with you. It felt so funny at first, but then it felt good.

"But once we stopped, and I realized what was happening…I got scared," Kairi admitted. "I'd never gotten so close to someone so fast, and never really dealt with the feeling I had at that moment. It was definitely not a familiar feeling."

"I know what you mean," Sora said, smiling slightly. Kairi returned the expression, tilting her head to the side.

"That was the feeling you were talking about?" Sora nodded and she tucked some of her red hair behind her ear. "It's strange. I never thought a feeling could be that powerful."

"Neither did I. It was surprising, really, how hard it hit me the first time." Sora kept his eyes lined with hers. "I don't really know what to call it…"

Kairi smiled again, which caused Sora's heart to skip a beat. He was not going to get used to that any time soon. "…Love at first sight?"

Sora stared at her for a second. Did she believe that, too? "You think?" He tilted his head to the side, a smile growing on his lips.

Kairi shrugged. "What do _you_ think?"

Sora smiled shyly, his pearly whites making an appearance. He brought a hand to the back of his head. "Well…" He scratched the back of his head as he stared at the ground. "It's possible. _Very_ possible. But I think our dance is what did it." He glanced up, seeing Kairi smiling even more.

"We connected, didn't we?" she asked, and Sora could have sworn he heard a tremble in her voice.

He paused for a second before he boldly shook his head. Kairi's expression completely changed, her forehead creasing. Sora only smiled at her, his eyes locked on hers. "We did more than that."

Kairi narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?" she asked, her voice quivering.

Sora shrugged, a smirk on his lips. "That depends," he started, crossing his arms. "Is your intuition coming from you mind? Or is it coming from your heart?"

A silence fell upon the two of them, the heart of the nineteen year-old rapidly pumping blood through his veins, the pulse thumping loudly in his ears. A thick aura of faith and hope lingered in the air, bright, azure irises gazing into the innocent periwinkle opposite them. Sora felt his eyes beginning to soften as he took in the sight of Kairi—her lip was quivering ever so slightly and her eyes were glistening in the faint light; her ruby hair shifted in the gentle breeze that blew behind her, the strands getting pushed over her shoulders and brushing against her cheeks.

Sora blinked when her tote landed on the sidewalk, his eyes focusing on it for a few short seconds before he heard running footsteps. Looking back up, he uncrossed his arms just in time to catch Kairi as she crashed into him, her lips meeting his. He had to take a step or two back to keep from stumbling, but readjusted as he held the girl in his arms, her legs hitched around his waist.

Her lips moved with his, soft and warm. He hadn't even imagined this moment, but it was thrilling to know it was reality. Her fingers ran through his unruly hair, the other hand on his cheek. The tug on the corners of his lips informed him that he was trying to hold back a smile; the fact that his lips were connected with Kairi's prevented him from showing his happiness.

But in his heart, the butterflies finally broke through their barrier, fluttering wildly throughout his insides. A tingly feeling overcame his fingers and toes, goosebumps rising against his arms; the hair on the back of his neck stood up, the sensation giving him chills. He suddenly felt light-headed; all thoughts in his mind a blur as he kissed the girl he had so many feelings for.

She gently pulled back for air, her hands in his hair as she exhaled, her sweet breath fanning over Sora's face. His eyelids lifted, his sight immediately focusing on the girl's face inches from his, a smile gracing his lips at that moment. When her lips mimicked his, the heart inside him leaped, his knees almost giving out underneath him.

"Hi," Kairi whispered shyly.

Sora chuckled quietly. "Hi," he replied at equal volume. A short silence lingered between them as they gazed into each other's eyes, only their breathing being heard. Sora's smile faded a little as he decided to break it, his tone hushed. "So…which one was it?"

"What do you mean?" Kairi said softly, one of her thumbs stroking his cheek.

"Your decision," he elaborated. "What was the source? Did you listen to your mind or your heart?"

Kairi smiled, her ivories appearing. "My heart spoke to me. Definitely."

Sora felt his smile grow, looking up slightly at the girl. He started to lower her, her legs unhitching from his waist and her feet touching the ground. But he didn't let go, and neither did she; as her hands stayed next to his face, his rested against her back, keeping her close.

"So, Sora Carter," Kairi started, said boy looking her right in the eye, "dance with me next Saturday?"

"You can count on it," he whispered. Kairi beamed before closing the gap between them, her lips meeting Sora's once again.

-

**S**

-

"Alright, everyone!" Tifa hollered, the group wandering over and gathering into a circle. "Tonight's the night. We go on in just a few minutes, so get your blood pumping. We've worked hard for this." She paused, glancing at Sora who stood next to her. She put a hand on his shoulder. "All of us." Sora nodded, offering a small smile before she turned back to the rest of the group. "I know you're all going to do great. Over the past week and a half you guys have really shaped up, and I know that the show is going to be perfect. Kairi's going to shine and you're all going to hit the mark.

"There's a big crowd out there tonight, so do your best and have fun. This is the night we've worked for, so be sure to let loose out there." When Tidus beamed, she eyed him. "But stay on task and focus. No silly business until the freestyle sections."

The group laughed as Tidus rolled his eyes, sighing.

"Okay, I just want to say before we get ready that it has been a pleasure working with all of you. Who knows? Maybe you'll all audition for another performance I'll be choreographing." Tifa smiled, dark eyes representing her contentment. "Go out there and nail it tonight. Make me proud, kids."

Yuffie smiled widely. "Aww," she cooed. "Group hug!" She jumped forward, grasping Tifa in a tight embrace before everyone else followed suit. Riku rolled his eyes as Leon shook his head, but Selphie and Xion pulled them into the hug as well. After a minute of chuckling, everyone separated and Tifa grinned.

"Good luck, you guys. And Kairi," she began, the redhead looking in her direction. Tifa winked. "Rock the red hair."

Kairi laughed. "Will do, Tifa."

Tifa smiled, waved, and then left, leaving the dancers and artist to fend for themselves. Roxas and Naminé remained next to Kairi and Sora as everyone else drifted.

"You guys ready?" Roxas asked the couple, his eyes bright with excitement.

Sora grinned, bringing his hands together behind his head. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Kairi smiled up at him before looking back at Roxas. "I may have done this a couple times before, but I can't help but be a little nervous. I guess I'm just a little worried that this might not be my big break, you know?"

"I wouldn't worry about that," Naminé assured with a small smile. "There are multiple agencies out there tonight, not just for the dancers but record companies, too. I'm sure you'll get an offer."

"Yeah," Roxas agreed. "You are popular with the locals, right?"

Kairi nodded. "Thanks, guys."

"Three minutes!" a voice called from near the stage.

"Showtime," Roxas said with a cheeky smile. Sora and Kairi nodded as Naminé looked up at Roxas.

"We better go get in our places," she suggested softly. The blonde girl suddenly leaned over, pecking him on the cheek, causing Roxas to freeze. "See you out there." She turned to Sora and Kairi. "You too, Sora. Good luck, Kairi."

Kairi smiled. "Thank you. You too."

They watched her go until Roxas finally spoke. "Uh…What she said." He smiled sheepishly, his face still tinted pink as he waved, walking off.

"He definitely has a crush on her," Kairi said with a giggle. Sora looked over at her, a smile coming to his face.

"You think she knows?"

Kairi nodded, her smile widening. "I'm sure she does." She gazed up at Sora, her eyes locking with his for a moment until she stepped toward him, wrapping her arms around his back. Without thought, Sora placed his hands on her waist, looking down at her. Peering through her bangs, Kairi asked, "Do you think things will be different tonight?"

"I wouldn't doubt it," he said, smiling a little. "Everything else you believed in before changed, so why not tonight?"

Kairi's lips formed a soft smile, her irises in line with his. "You're right about that. Ever since you came, things have turned out for the better. I think you may be my good luck charm, Sora." She giggled once she finished, his surprised expression being the reason. "Besides, I'm sure I'm not the only one who will benefit from you; a talent agency or two might be graced with your presence as well."

Sora's cheeks tinged a faint pink. "Let's hope so. How many people are going to be here anyway?"

Kairi pursed her lips, her eyes darting to the ceiling. "Well… Twilight Town's not that small of a place, so I'd say we have a full house."

Sora's eyes widened. "How big is the arena?"

"It seats more than a thousand, as far as I know."

"You're _that_ popular?"

Kairi playfully smacked him on the shoulder. "Hey, I happen to be very popular with the locals, okay? I've been here for a while." Her hand found its way around his back again. "But even with that many people, things may not go as you plan. Like my career—it's only gone as far as covering songs done by other artists." She frowned a little, her eyes falling on Sora's chest.

"Aw, you shouldn't have to worry about that. Things will go differently tonight," Sora assured her, her eyes finding his again.

"You think?"

"Positive." He leaned forward, pecking her on the lips. "You just have to have a little faith."

"You have faith in me," Kairi stated, and Sora realized that he didn't have to confirm that; she already knew. "I think that's enough to keep me moving forward."

"Good." Sora smiled lovingly at her, receiving the same from her.

"Kairi!" The redhead whipped her head to her left, her eyes falling on one of the backstage men. He waved her over hurriedly, signifying that they only had a short time until the show started.

Kairi turned her gaze back to Sora. "I guess I better go get set. I'll meet you on stage."

"'Kay." She leaned forward, kissing him quickly before they pulled apart. She fixed her black and white striped shirt, adjusting the black vest that went over it as she headed to her spot. Sora watched her go before he went and joined the guys on one side of the stage.

-

**S**

-

"_Do we want what we've got? If not I, say so what_," Kairi sang, walking back toward Sora. "_Here's my formal invitation. Let's go, let's go masquerading._" She stood right in front of him, her face inches from his. "_La la la la, la la la la. La la la la, la la la la_."

Once the song finally ended, the crowd applauded. Kairi kept her eyes connected with Sora's, though, both of them breathing hard. He winked at her, feeling sweat trickle down his temple. She smiled at him before turning her attention toward the audience.

"Thank you, Twilight Town!" she said happily into the microphone, hollering over the cheers. "You've been a great audience!" She turned around halfway, holding her hand out behind her to Sora. Hesitating at first, he finally approached her and took her hand. She then looked over her other shoulder, waving the other dancers over. They all joined her at the front of the stage, linking their hands together. Kairi looked down the line on each side of her before all of them bowed.

Sora glanced over at Kairi, seeing her grinning from ear to ear. He squeezed her hand once they were fully upright again and she tightened her grip on his hand, peeking at him and then gazing out over the crowd. "Have a good night!" she cried into the microphone, everyone dispersing and heading backstage. She waved at the audience with her free hand before looking over at Sora, who grinned at her and started leading her off the stage.

As soon as they were backstage everyone started clapping, causing Kairi to smile shyly. Sora released her hand and started clapping himself. When she glanced at him, he noticed how her cheeks were close to rivaling her hair, a giggle leaving her lips.

"Great job, Kairi!" Tifa cried, bringing the redhead into a hug. "You did it!"

"Thanks," Kairi chimed, still grinning from ear to ear. Looking over the brunette's shoulder, she noticed everyone else wrapping their arms around her. "Whoa!"

Sora laughed as he stayed back and observed the scene, feeling as if the smile on his face was permanently etched into his skin. Even if things didn't work out tonight, Kairi was happy. That was all he wanted. That was all that mattered.

"Sora Carter?"

Turning his head, Sora's eyes fell on a man wearing a black suit, a goatee on his face that was the same color as the dark brown hair on his scalp. "Yes, sir?"

"Trent Howard, Radiant Garden Dance Agency," he introduced, holding out a hand. Sora took it politely, giving a firm shake. "Your performance this evening was impressive. You seem very skilled in your dance region. What would you say to getting together and talking about joining us soon?"

Sora blinked. "Really?" Trent nodded. "Yeah, of course. Definitely."

"Great." Trent smiled, reaching into a pocket inside his jacket. "Here's my card. Call and we'll set up an appointment."

"Thank you, sir," Sora said, glancing at the card before looking up at the man. Trent nodded and turned around, walking away. Sora fixed his gaze on the card again, still feeling slightly dazed at what just happened.

Kairi came up beside him, one of her hands resting on his shoulder closest to her. "What's this?" She leaned forward, peering at the card. After her eyes skimmed over the words, they grew in size. "Oh my goodness," she said, her tone hushed. She let her eyes rest on the boy's face. "Sora…"

Sora looked over at her, a smile slowly growing on his face.

Kairi grinned, her face brightening. "Oh, my God! Sora!" she cried, immediately pulling him into a hug. He could only smile—something he'd been doing a lot of lately. "You got an offer! That's great!"

"There aren't any guarantees yet, Kai," Sora mentioned, the girl pulling away from him. "I still have to meet with them first."

"Are you kidding? Of course there is!" She wrapped her arms around him again, and he chuckled as he looked down at her. "They'd be crazy not to hire you."

He leaned his head down, kissing the top of her head. "Thanks, Kairi."

She smiled, letting her cheek rest against his shirt. Sora kept his gaze fixed on her for a moment, one arm winding around her waist. With the other hand, he looked at the card between his fingers. Who knew that just knowing that he could be accepted felt this good?

Kairi suddenly gasped, snapping Sora out of his thoughts. "What?" he asked. "What is it?" She wasn't looking at him, her eyes settled on something across the room.

"Her," she said, lifting a hand to point across the room. "That woman."

Sora followed her finger, his eyes falling on a woman with light brown hair, a pink ribbon in her braided hair. He watched her talk to Tifa, an eyebrow arching in question. "What about her?"

Kairi peered up at him. "That's Aerith Gainsborough, the A&R Coordinator from Roseland Records," she explained, her eyes sparkling with knowledge. "She's found some of the biggest talent around…and she's _here_."

The boy's blue eyes flitted back over to Aerith, finding that her green irises were focused on them. Sora's arm tightened around Kairi's waist. "Well, it looks to me like things are about to change, because she's coming over."

"What?" Kairi's gaze immediately fixed on the young woman traveling toward them. She brought her arms back to her sides as she turned to face her. Sora's arm still remained around her waist as Aerith approached.

"Are you Miss Kairi Coleman?" she asked, her voice light in tone. Kairi nodded silently and Aerith smiled warmly, offering a hand. "I'm Aerith Gainsborough, from—"

"Roseland Records," Kairi said without thought, a star struck expression on her features as she took Aerith's hand.

"You've heard of me, I presume?" Aerith inquired, an amused smile replacing the other. When Kairi nodded again, she laughed softly, taking back her hand. "Well, it's good to know that one of us has heard of the other. I never knew you had such a voice, Kairi."

Kairi blushed. "Thank you."

"Sure." She smiled again, her hands holding her clutch in front of her. "Have you considered signing with any major companies?"

Kairi smiled shyly. "Um, not at the moment."

"Well, we'll have to change that then," Aerith said softly, reaching into her clutch and pulling out a light blue card, handing it to Kairi. "You are quite talented, Kairi. Roseland Records would love to have you."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Kairi smiled widely, looking up from the card in her hands.

Aerith nodded. "Just call and let us know when you're free. We'll set up a meeting and talk over your future, okay?"

Kairi's smile softened. "Sounds great. Thank you." They shook hands again. "Nice meeting you."

"Pleasure," Aerith replied with the same smile. Her emerald green orbs flitted up to Sora, nodding at him before turning to leave.

As soon as Aerith was out of ear shot, Kairi squealed, jumping up and down until she wrapped her arms around Sora's neck, hugging him tightly. Sora laughed, his arms naturally winding around her form.

"Congratulations," he whispered in her ear. She only squeezed him tighter.

"I can't believe it," Kairi gasped, pulling back, her hands resting on his shoulders. "Roseland Records actually wants to sign me…"

"And why wouldn't they? You're great." Sora flashed a smile, earning a soft one in return. "Where are they located, anyway?"

"Radiant Garden," Kairi answered, and her tone immediately saddened, her features showing her disappointment.

Sora's eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"I'll be leaving, Sora. Radiant Garden is so far from here; I'll never be able to see you," she explained weakly.

"Radiant Garden, you say?" She nodded and Sora smirked, bringing one hand back to show her the card. "Radiant Garden," he said simply, signifying the words on his pale yellow card.

Kairi's lips parted, her eyes resting on the card for a second before flicking to Sora. "You mean…"

Sora smiled lovingly. "We'll go together."

**END**

* * *

_Disclaimer: Stands very strong. I own nothing; that includes the first song **Me & U** by _Cassie_ and the second song **Masquerade** by_ Ashley Tisdale_._

_My GAWD. Can you say "FLUFFY CHEESEEE"?! Haha, especially with the last line. :P The whole conflict between Sora and Kairi didn't come to me until a day or two ago. It was supposed to be completely different, like the confessions coming at the show. But I happen to like this version better, and I hope you do, too. :)_

_I apologize about the length. It definitely wasn't intentional. I think the fact that I actually wrote out the moves to the songs performed and everything actually made this much longer than the previous chapters. But, whew! That took a lot of energy out of me. Probably the longest chapter I've written in my entire life._

_Anyway, I'm glad you read till the end. Makes me happy. Now if you would review! That would be wonderful! So, if you would please not just Favorite (etc.), but also review and let me know how this did, I'd be very happy. _

_Thanks for reading. :)_


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